Cocktail Atlas

Fig Old Fashioned

A sweet and earthy take on the classic with fig syrup.

Cocktail Atlas · Updated

Spirit
Bourbon
Glass
Rocks glass
Method
Stirred
Difficulty
Intermediate

Riff on: Old Fashioned

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Two pink drinks with fresh fig halves and rosemary sprigs in stemless glasses on a pink background

Fig Old Fashioned

Ingredients

Ingredients for Fig Old Fashioned. Tick each one as you add it.
AddedMeasureIngredient
2 oz
½ oz
2 dashes

Steps

  1. Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
  2. Garnish with a fig slice.

Garnish Fig slice

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Batch it For a party of 4–20

Makes 8 drinks, about 24 oz · 720 ml before ice.

Fig Old Fashioned batch
AmountIngredient
16 oz · 480 mlBourbon
4 oz · 120 mlFig Syrup
16 dashesAngostura Bitters
4 oz · 120 mlCold water, for dilution (approx.)

The water stands in for the melt from stirring: about 20% for a stirred drink. It is an approximation, so taste and adjust. Chill the batch at least 2 hours and pour over fresh ice.

Fits one 750 ml bottle; a funnel helps.

Made it?

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Why it works

Fig syrup gives an earthy, honeyed sweetness that suits bourbon’s vanilla and oak. Two dashes of Angostura add clove and cinnamon spice and stop the fig from tasting jammy. Stirring with ice dilutes and chills evenly, keeping the drink smooth, and a fig slice garnish points to the flavor in the glass.

Substitutions

  • No fig syrup? Simmer chopped dried figs in simple syrup for 10 minutes and strain.
  • Rye makes it spicier; a wheated bourbon makes it softer.
  • Black walnut bitters push it further into fall flavors.

Variations

Questions

What does fig taste like in a cocktail?
Sweet and earthy, a little like honey and dried fruit. It pairs well with bourbon and baking spices.
How long does fig syrup keep?
About two weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Making it: Fig Old Fashioned

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